Are you ready for Halloween? I think every year there is one thing that I am prepared with and then the rest of it… I fail. This year I focused on the costumes but not the decorating and quite frankly I like it that way. I know shocking, especially since I love decorating! However when it comes to Holiday decorating I like seasonal decorating better, and even my typical Halloween decorating isn’t about ghosts and witches but more about pumpkins that I can carry on all the way to Thanksgiving. It’s less stress that way and it also comes cheaper and I rather get a few more expensive nice things than a lot of cheap specific Holiday themed decorations. In an ideal world though I make everything myself. This year I made two costumes from start to finish and it was enough of DIY for me, in fact it felt like a
long journey just to get those done!
Making your own Halloween or any other holiday decorations (or costumes) isn’t just about saving money or trying to be thrifty. In fact I think my girls outfits cost more this year because of all the supplies we bought. DIY Holidays is more about spending time together and making the Holiday to come alive together. My girls were so thrilled that they got to design their own costumes, and they loved the personal attention I gave them and making the finishing touches together. And that’s what all Holidays really are about – spending time together and making it special that way.
This year Halloween fall on a Monday and while we all probably would prefer it on a different day, think it this way: you have an entire weekend to make it fun for the kids. If you want to tackle some fun last minute Halloween things with the kids, here are some resources for you to enjoy. My favorite Halloween decorations are the edible ones!
HALLOWEEN FOOD
Lisa’s
Pumpkin patch cupcakes look cute and tasty and call for green food coloring that you can use for Christmas baking too. Think multi-use every time you buy craft or baking supplies.
Check out several Halloween party recipes at the
Daily Blarg, my favorite is the disgusting bowl of jell-o worms pictured above. Not and easy recipe, but so gross it’s the best thing I’ve seen this Halloween.
DECOR
Kelly has a fast and inexpensive last minute Halloween decor that will spook the visitors: the
DIY grave yard stones. (Pictured above on the left)
My favorite pumpkin carving tutorial comes from Tina this year – she made
Angry Birds pumpkin using Angry Bird template from their website.
If you don’t have time to go shopping for supplies, no worries, most likely you will find something at home that you can use. Make easy
sucker ghosts out of suckers and tissue paper. So easy your kid can do this. If you don’t have lollipops, use different round candy.
If you have white and red candles, Emily shows you can make these
creepy Halloween candles in like 2 minutes or less. (Pictured in the middle)
DIY COSTUMES
I admit, these are not the easy-breezy ideas for last minute costumes, but these three are my favorites this year.
Tonya’s
DIY superhero costume for her son looks awesome and a bonus is that your son could use the shirt and the pants even after Halloween making it a thrifty choice.
And for your little princess or fairy or whatever girly thingy your girl wants to dress up, check out Lisa’s easy
tutu tutorial, this one you can whip up even on Monday.
I created my daughter a
spiderweb witch costume out of black sweatshirt, freaky web and a table runner and it’s her favorite costume so far and she made it to the front page of a local newspaper from our town’s Halloween parade with this costume!
If you really want to make an entrance when trick or treating… Check out Gracie’s
DIY spider costume, simply amazing.
If you want something simple to get yourself to the Halloween spirit,
check out how your nails can turn into creepy bloody mess or spooky mummyfied
As long as you remember – it’s all about spending time together and making it fun, NOT about making it perfect and getting it all done. And Jill has a great reminder…
You can make anything fun for kids, read how her kids had the best time playing with Halloween Play-Doh.
